Jennie Lyon debunks the top 10 misconceptions about social media ads for online business owners. Whether you're hesitant to start running ads or have been disappointed by past campaigns, Jennie provides clarity and actionable insights to help you succeed with confidence.
👇 In This Episode, Jennie Discusses:
- #1: Bigger Budget = Bigger Results: Why strategy matters more than the size of your budget.
- #2: Running Ads Generates Immediate Sales: How ads fit into a long-term marketing strategy.
- #3: Targeting More People Means More Customers: The importance of targeting a specific audience.
- #4: Boosting Posts Works Just Like an Ad: Why boosting posts can’t replace a well-optimized ad campaign.
- #5: Work Ends After Hitting “Publish”: Why constant monitoring and optimization are essential.
- #6: Ad Strategies are One Size Fits All: Why personalization is critical for success.
- #7: Ads Have to Be High-Tech to Work: The power of simplicity in ad creatives.
- #8: Ads Only Work for Certain Niches: Why every niche can benefit from social media ads.
- #9: If They Don’t Work Once, They Don’t Work At All: The value of testing and fine-tuning.
- #10: Ads Can Be My Only Digital Marketing Strategy: The need for a holistic marketing strategy.
⌚️ Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction to social media ad misconceptions.
1:17 Bigger Budget = Bigger Results
2:44 Running Ads Generates Immediate Sales
3:50 Targeting More People Means More Customers
4:54 Boosting Posts Works Just Like an Ad
6:16 Work Ends After Hitting “Publish”
7:02 Strategies are One Size Fits All
8:13 Ads Have to Be High-Tech to Work
9:06 Ads Only Work for Certain Niches
10:02 If They Don’t Work Once, They Don’t Work At All:
10:58 Ads Can Be My Only Digital Marketing Strategy
đź”— Resources Mentioned:
WHO AM I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi 👋 I’m Jennie, a digital marketing expert turned owner of a 20+ year digital marketing agency. Through my videos on this channel, my podcast, and my writing, I share marketing strategies and tools to help you build and grow an online business you love.
🧩 Connect with Jennie Lyon:
🌟 Subscribe & Leave a Review:
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on your preferred podcast platform. Your feedback helps us reach more listeners and improve our content.
What is Digital Marketing Made Simple with Jennie Lyon?
How do you grow your online business? Grow your email list? Build a social media following? Start a webinar, online course, or podcast? For many people, creating a profitable online business is the dream. Discover why thousands of online business owners have turned to Jennie Lyon to help them grow their online business using digital marketing and virtual assistant services. Jennie shares her best digital marketing tips, practices, and strategies to get you optimal results!
Mythbusting 10 Common Misconceptions about Social Media Ads for Online Business Owners
One of our primary services as a digital marketing agency is helping online businesses of all sizes and stages run social media ads to grow their business. And what I’ve realized when talking to these clients is that there are so many misconceptions about social media ad campaigns, and the strategies that go into making those campaigns successful.
Maybe you’ve been thinking about social media ads but you’re hesitant about adding them to your digital marketing strategy. Or maybe you’ve run ad campaigns before and you weren’t very pleased with your results. Either way, let’s debunk these top 10 misconceptions about social media advertising so you can approach them with confidence and clarity moving forward. Let’s get into it.
Content Overview:
Bigger Budget = Bigger Results
Running Ads Generates Immediate Sales
Targeting More People Means More Customers
Boosting Posts Works Just Like an Ad
Work Ends After Hitting “Publish”
Ad Strategies are One Size Fits All
Ads Have to Be High-Tech to Work
Ads Only Work for Certain Niches
If They Don’t Work Once, They Don’t Work At All
Ads Can Be My Only Digital Marketing Strategy
How to ACTUALLY Run Successful Ads on a Budget
#1: Bigger Budget = Bigger Results
This is a myth that works both ways because just because you have a big budget doesn’t mean you’ll get big results, but also, just because you have a small budget doesn’t mean you’ll get small results.
Typically, the online business owners that I speak with on a daily basis about running social media ads are concerned that they have to have a big advertising budget in order for ads to be worth their investment.
Don’t get me wrong, having more money provides flexibility, but ads are less about budget and more about strategy.
We’ve talked about ad strategies quite a bit in the last couple of weeks, so I invite you to check out those blogs after you’re finished with this one if you want more information about specific ad strategies. But the main point here is that you do NOT have to be able to spend hundreds of dollars a day on an ad campaign to see results. In fact, I compiled a FREE $10/Day Ad Strategy & Workbook with my top social media ad strategists on my team to break down how any online business can start running successful ad campaigns with budgets as low as $10 per day. If that’s something you’re interested in, click here to grab your copy for free.
[BUTTON: Download the $10/Day Ad Strategy Guide]
#2: Running Ads Generates Immediate Sales
Another common misconception is that social media ads will immediately generate sales. Man, don’t we wish!
While ads can lead to quick wins, they’re most effective when used as part of a larger, long-term marketing strategy because it often takes multiple touchpoints before a customer is ready to buy. If this is the first day they’re learning about your brand, it could take 7-12 more times of seeing your brand before they decide to purchase your offer.
Also, not all ads are created to generate sales. Some are used to generate brand awareness, and some to capture leads. So it’s more about building a sustainable funnel that moves this audience member from awareness to consideration, then to conversion. For more on building and refining your funnel, check out this article on The Framework of a Great Social Media Campaign.
#3: Targeting More People Means More Customers
Say it with me: if I’m talking to everyone, then I’m talking to NO ONE.
I know, I know. The thought process here is that reaching more people must eventually mean more leads and more sales, right? Well, no. Because marketing and messaging only work when they’re specific to a target demographic or ideal audience. So if you’re broad and generic in your messaging, you’re going to be forgettable to everyone who sees your content.
Ultimately, lack of targeting in social media ads leads to wasted ad spend on users who aren’t likely to be interested in your product or service. Social media platforms allow for detailed targeting, and should be used to narrow down your ideal client avatar as closely as you can when running ad campaigns.
Not sure where to start? Learn how to select your ICA & craft a compelling message to connect with your ideal audience.
#4: Boosting Posts Works Just Like an Ad
I’m gonna cut right to the chase on this one: boosting your organic post is NOT the same as running an ad.
Now I’ve seen some people argue that there are uses for boosting, but what I can testify to is that in my experience of working with clients for social media advertising is that boosting a post will NEVER generate results like a social media ad campaign.
Sure, it’s quick and easy, but lacks the advanced capabilities of full-fledged ad campaigns. Boosted posts offer limited control over key factors like ad placements and optimization goals, while using Facebook Ads Manager or similar platforms allows you to fine-tune your targeting, track detailed metrics, and run A/B tests on your creative elements. This deeper level of customization ensures that your ad spend is optimized for specific outcomes, and in my opinion cannot be replaced by the easier alternative.
#5: Work Ends After Hitting “Publish”
One of the biggest misconceptions is that once your ad is live, your work is done, you can just set it and forget it.
Successful campaigns require constant monitoring and adjustments.
After an ad set is published, you should be analyzing key performance metrics (not just vanity stats like impressions).
And if you’re thinking, “Well, Jennie, that sounds like it takes a lot of time,” well, it can. But you can also leverage the automation tools within platforms like Facebook Ads Manager to create rules that pause underperforming ads or scale high-performing ones.
#6: Ad Strategies are One Size Fits All
It can be really tempting to mimic the advertising strategies of bigger brands you see online. The problem is that ad strategies are not one size fits all. What works for a huge corporation like Coca-Cola is not necessarily going to work for a small online candle business. And that’s okay, because there are so many different ways to approach social media advertising.
When I work with a client who is really set on wanting to replicate the success of another business with their own ads, I always remind them that personalization is a huge competitive advantage for small businesses. Focusing less on flashy content and more on substance and messaging can go a long way in finding your true ideal audience and connecting with the people you created your business to serve.
Looking for a framework for running effective campaigns? Check out this post on 5 Strategies for Successful Advertising on Facebook.
#7: Ads Have to Be High-Tech to Work
So many business owners shy away from ads, especially video ads because they assume that they have to have professional production and a hefty budget.
But what I’ve seen in working with clients is that it’s more about engagement than production value. Sometimes utilizing free editing tools like CapCut and Canva using a video you shot with your smartphone is more than enough to showcase your brand’s story and showcase your offer.
This theme keeps coming up, but you don’t have to have this huge marketing budget to successfully run social media ads. At the end of the day, utilizing an ad strategy will always be more effective than trying to “impress” your audience into becoming paying customers.
#8: Ads Only Work for Certain Niches
Have you ever wondered if you aren’t in the right niche for social media ads to work for your business?
I’ve actually encountered this a few times in speaking to clients, and if this is a worry of yours, I want you to know that ads are accessible for all niches. There are over 4.5 billion social media users worldwide, and an audience for virtually every industry.
The key is finding the right platform and crafting messages that resonate with your target market. For example, creative or visual products often perform well on Instagram, while professional services may thrive on LinkedIn. Research your audience’s behavior and preferences, then tailor your approach to meet their needs.
#9: If They Don’t Work Once, They Don’t Work At All
No one likes feeling like they’ve sunk money into ads and have “nothing” to show for it. But sometimes “no results” is actually just an indicator that something didn’t work, and it’s time to figure out why. Was it targeting? The creatives? The copywriting? The objective?
Small adjustments can have a big impact, and I usually recommend trying to make just one change at a time so you can really see what causes the true effective change.
But just because you ran ads once doesn't mean they aren’t going to work for your business, it just means you have an opportunity to fine-tune your social media advertising strategy.
#10: Ads Can Be My Only Digital Marketing Strategy
While social media ads are a powerful part of any digital marketing strategy, they shouldn’t exist in a vacuum.
How to Run Successful Ads on a Budget
So there you have it, the top 10 misconceptions when it comes to social media ads. Really what it comes down to is understanding your audience, your business, and how to make it as clear as possible how your offer can change your ideal client’s life. Sounds simple, but it takes quite a bit of strategy and testing to find the right combination of factors to do this successfully.
We’ve talked about what you shouldn’t believe… so what should you believe when it comes to social media ads?
To make it easy for you, my team and I have compiled a FREE guide and workbook about running successful ad campaigns on a budget, talking about all the ins and outs of advertising that you need to know before you hit publish on your next ad campaign. This includes how to manage your budget, how to choose the right ad strategy, and more.
đź”— *Resources for this Content:*
Download the $10/Day Ad Strategy Guide -
Schedule a Free Call with Jennie
WHO AM I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi 👋 I’m Jennie, a digital marketing expert turned owner of a 20+ year digital marketing agency. Through my video on this channel, my podcast, and my writing, I share marketing strategies and tools to help you build and grow an online business you love.
🧩 *Connect with Jennie:*
Website: https://jennielyon.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/jennielyonmarketing
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennielyon/?trk=author_mini-profile_title
Podcast: Digital Marketing Made Simple on Apple Podcasts
YouTube: Jennie Lyon Digital Marketing YouTube Channel
🌟 *Subscribe & Leave a Review:*
Rate, review, and subscribe to Apple Podcasts. If you like what you hear on the podcast, please consider rating and reviewing my show! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” I would love to hear what episodes you enjoy the most!
If you haven’t already, please subscribe to the podcast. I’ll add new content weekly; you might miss out if you’re not subscribed. Subscribe now!